Edwabd l



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

EDWARD L. PERRY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

HARNESS FOR Ll FE-RAFTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,203, dated February 1, 1881. Application filed October 25, 1880. (No model.)

l'o all whom it may concer-n:

Beit known that I, EDWARD L. PERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paterson, n the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harness for Life- Rafts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specication, and to the letters and gures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l is a perspective View of my invention, showing the harness applied to two pontons or iioats. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same, taken on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 3, a top-plan view of the canvas or other cover- 1n g.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in harness for rubber pontons, barrels, and life-boats of either wood or metal, canvas, or other material; and the object thereof is to provide a harness 'that in case ot' necessity can be connected thereto in the shortest possible time, whereby a perfect life-saving raft is obtained at a comparatively small expense. These objects I attain by theI construction of the harness illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, A B represent the' pontons or oats, as the case may be, to which the harness is connected, consisting, in part, of a covering, (l, of duck, canvas, or any other desirable material, to form' the deck andhold the whole structure together. The covering C has at its sides loops a, to receive the large spars D, which act as a bulwark, and at the same time hold the raft in shape. The slings E pass around the pontons or floats A B, and are looped at their ends for the insertion ot small spars b, the looped ends of the slings E passing through holes c in the covering.

Gross-planks F are laid over and upon the covering G, which may be used as seats, and at the ends of each plank are semicircular bearings d, for the reception of the spars D, which rest therein, and, if desired, to the ends of the planks F may be attached suitable row- 5o locks.

The covering C is provided with two rows of holes along the center thereof', to receive a lacing-rope, e, the purpose of which is to bring the harness taut. This, however, is only required when the harness is used on barrels, boats, &c., where the oats are not made especially for the harness.

In place of the small spars b, large ropes can be substituted, said ropespassing through the looped ends of the slings E, similar to the small spars, the slings being made ot' a ilexible material, such as duck or canvas.

When oats are used similar to those illustratedl in the drawings, which require indation, I provide one of the cross-planks F with a suitable bellows, Gr, which is a liXture, or fortuin gv part of the harness, the bellows, when not in use, being closed down, as shown in Fig. 1, so that it will serve as a seat. '.llhe bellows is supplied with air through the inlet f and discharged through the outlet g, both of which are provided with suitable valves, usuallytermed dapper-valves. The air, as it is discharged through the opening or outlet g, passes through suitable pipes, It c', into the lloats A B, the process being kept up until the floats are properly inflated with air.

Heretofore the bellows or other air-supplying apparatus has been independent of the iloats, and after the process of inflation it has been detached and removed, and, as a general thing, at times when they are wanted could not be found.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A harness for constructing life-rafts,consisting of the covering C and looped slings E, in combination with the spars D, ropes or spars b, and the cross-planks F, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with one or more floats and the covering C, of the cross-planks F, one of which has a suitable bellows, G, permanently connected thereto, and adapted to fold down, when not in use, to form a seat, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD L. PERRY. Witnesses:

CHAs. E. PEAsE, HENRY S. WINANs. 

